


The Journey to Dark Island

by ElectraAshLeakySmith



Series: The Hope For Us [6]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: BAMF Caspian (Narnia), BAMF Edmund Pevensie, BAMF Lucy Pevensie, Book/Movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Caspian meets Eustace, Confused Eustace Scrubb, Dragon Eustace Scrubb, Eustace Doesn't Know What's Happening, Eustace Scrubb Is A Good Cousin, Eustace Scrubb Makes Poor Decisions, Family Reunions, Gay Edmund Pevensie, He Thinks He's Been Kidnapped, It just takes a while to get there, M/M, Mpreg, Post-Prince Caspian, Protective Caspian (Narnia), Sibling Reunion, Supportive Lucy Pevensie, Worried Caspian (Narnia)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27196561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectraAshLeakySmith/pseuds/ElectraAshLeakySmith
Summary: Edmund was so over morning sickness. Caspian and Edmund had fatefully discovered that they were expecting a baby only two months ago, the precious gift from Narnia and Aslan. If only his morning sickness passed and he was able to spend most of his day on the deck, then trapped in their quarters. It was mainly Edmund’s fault. He refused to stay behind at Cair Paravel whilst Caspian journey to the lost islands. He was pregnant not invalid, so he told himself and anyone who tried to dismiss him and that included Caspian!
Relationships: Caspian/Edmund Pevensie
Series: The Hope For Us [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1175537
Comments: 16
Kudos: 109





	1. Edmund Is Done with Morning And Sea Sickness (+ Reunion with Lucy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! 
> 
> I'm so glad I could finally get the next part up! I apologise for how long it's taken me but as you can see from the word count this chapter it quite long and we are not even half way through yet. The first chapter would only be a couple of thousand words she said you could finish it quickly she said. I do really hope you enjoy this chapter!

Edmund was so over morning sickness. Caspian and Edmund had fatefully discovered that they were expecting a baby only two months ago, the precious gift from Narnia and Aslan. Their beautiful baby, something that they were excited about and Edmund was enjoying some aspects of his pregnancy, watching his child grow as his body adapted to his current condition but that doesn’t mean everything that came with pregnancy was a walk in the park, he could vaguely remember when his mother was pregnant with Lucy, she had a horrible experience constantly throwing up throughout the morning then sleeping in the afternoon because the baby would keep her up most the night. If all her pregnancies were like this, then Edmund couldn’t fathom why she had three more children after Peter and in such a short space of time, there being only five years between the birth of Peter and the birth of Lucy. Don’t get him wrong he loves his child, he really does but if his pregnancy doesn’t improve, then Caspian better be accepting of having only one child that was if his body could carry any more children, Aslan never really mentioned it but that was something to worry about another time, Edmund needed to get through this pregnancy first.

Edmund’s only wish right now was for this freaking ship to stop swaying, he was sure that traveling was making his morning sickness worse, he’d never been susceptible to sea sickness before, during their golden age he sometimes spent months on end traveling to meet with other kingdoms, he was used to traveling by ship, however; his pregnancy had thrown a spanner in the works and for the first few days since they set off from Cair Paravel, he had spent most of it with his head in a bucket. It was mainly Edmund’s fault. He refused to stay behind at Cair Paravel whilst Caspian journey to the lost islands. He was pregnant, not invalid, so he told himself and anyone who tried to dismiss him, and that included Caspian! He didn’t choose to become pregnant, don’t get him wrong, Edmund was absolutely thrilled about having a child but he didn’t decide that he wanted to become pregnant right that second because he in retrospect had that decision take away from him by Aslan’s gift and biology he wasn’t letting anyone else belittle him. He was Edmund Pevensie, the King of Narnia during the golden era. He played a helping hand in defeating the white witch; they nicknamed him The Silver Tongue because he always had a way with words that he had been pivotal during the talks between Narnia and its fellow kingdoms to prevent war breaking out. And most importantly, Edmund needed a purpose, he couldn’t stay at Cair Paravel waiting for Caspian to return like a dutiful wife, he felt like he had to prove to his… to their kingdom that he could still do things whilst he’s pregnant.

They had been at sea for nearly a week, Edmund had slowly found his sea legs as now he could spend most of the day on deck helping, much to the crew’s reluctance. It had taken a while for the Narnians to get used to Edmund helping. During their golden age, it wasn’t odd to find either Edmund or Lucy helping with the daily chores around the castle whenever they were free, with Susan and Peter being the High King and Queen they dealt with most of the major issues in Narnia. Many times Lucy and Edmund found themselves with nothing to do. So, they turned to help the Narnians in ways they couldn’t do by just being the king or queen. They would go out into the town, talk with the subjects, play with the children and a couple of times Edmund help Mrs Beaver with her shopping.

So, it only felt right that now he permanently returned to Narnia that he should continue what he once did. Much to the surprise of his fellow Narnians and the Telmarines, they have never had a King who lowered themselves to the same standards as his subjects. Edmund could only assume that the stories passed down through the generations about the four kings and queen of Narnia from their golden age had omitted that fact that they were from another world where they weren’t considered to be royalty, they were just simple human beings who were living in a war zone. He might be a king in this world but he would never forget to be generous to those who helped them overthrow the White Witch or Miraz, just because one person was born into royalty and another to a poor family, it doesn’t mean they are instantly better than the other. What makes the person is not the family they are born into, but the person they become. Edmund had learned the hard way, he lets his insecurities impede his family, and that’s what let him too willing betray them to the White Witch because she was the first person who made him feel special, she made him feel like he wasn’t just the second youngest child living in the shadow of Peter and Susan greatness. The white witch used his insecurities, and it nearly killed his family. He swore when he was crowned he would never let the power of being a king ever go to his head and make him forget his subjects. 

He would help when he’s needed and if that meant standing up on the crow’s nest for hours looking for land then he was more than prepared. It was where he was now sailing to the lost island to establish a line of communication to the mainland and locate the seven lost lords which fled from Narnia when King Miraz tried to kill them. They were on the right track that they should arrive at the lone islands earlier the following day.

“Man overboard” Lord Dirinian cried. Edmund looked down from his post, watching as two bodies fought to stay above the water’s surface. Edmund quickly dropped the telescope and climbed down the rigging; his heart was pounding in his chest. For a sailor on the dawn treader to suddenly fall into the drink is just as unlikely as Reepicheep swearing to stop talking for the day and they were still miles away from the lone islands, no one, unless they were on a voyage, would dare to sail this far from their island and if it was ship wreckage, then Edmund should be able to see floating debris from the destroyed ship but the water remains as clear as it did when Aslan first blew life into this land. 

So, two unknown people suddenly appearing in the sea with no sign to why they would be there could only mean one thing. Edmund heard Caspian shout his name as he dived off the ship and plunged into the icy waters below, in retrospect Edmund knew what he was doing was a risk to his child but he was too wrapped up in the idea that his family had returned to him to listen to the voice whispering in the back of his mind.

Edmund swam towards the closest person wrapping his arms around the person and pulled them to the surface. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as the person in his arms turned to face him.

“It’s alright I’ve got you,” Edmund said reassuring the fidgeting person in his arms. The body tensed against his own as they turned. Edmund’s eyes widened when he saw his sister, his little sister that he thought he may never see again. Even though when they left Narnia after the coronation of Caspian. Aslan had promised that he and Lucy would once more return to Narnia before being sent back to their world. It had haunted Edmund for the next three months: he was trapped in his world, waiting, hoping that today was the day he returned to Narnia, always going to bed disappointed that he had spent another day in this world. But what scared him the most was when the day finally came and he would return to Narnia to find it once again different, to find that his lover had been dead for another thousand years. Time passed quickly in Narnia, when they returned the last time having only been away for a year, they had discovered their world had been overrun by Telmarines and all their friends were long dead. Then when those long three months passed and Aslan brought Edmund back to Narnia to be reunited with his lost love, however, his worries never faded, in fact, they only shifted from the worry of never seeing Caspian again to never seeing his family again especially Lucy who he became closer with after losing Narnia twice, when Peter and Susan shut themselves away Edmund and Lucy reminisced and slowly made plans, what they wanted to do the next time they returned to Narnia, Lucy was the only person Edmund finally confided in about the budding relationship he had with Caspian. It scared him that by the time Lucy returned to Narnia he too would be long gone, and his family would discover his passing from yet another stranger. But now his worries had faded, his sister was back with him even if it was for a short time.

“Edmund” Lucy gasped, throwing her arms around her brother’s neck and hugged him tightly.

“Hi Lu, umm… what are you doing in the middle of the ocean?” Edmund asked hugging his sister back, they had come to and left Narnia in many ways, through a wardrobe, the train station in London disappearing and reappearing a tunnel on a Narnian beach and now being deposited in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight.

“I was staying at Aunt and Uncle Scrubb whilst Peter, Susan, Mother, and Father was off working in America. There was this painting with a Narnian ship on the sea and suddenly water started spilling out of it, filling the bedroom I was staying in, and the next thing I know I’m in Narnia. Oh, Edmund, it is so good to see you again. I have so much to tell you,” Lucy said as they swam over to the side of the ship and were carefully hoisted up.

“Does that mean that flailing body over there belongs to Eustace?” Edmund asked as he looked down to see Caspian trying to calm the other castaway.

“Yes, he was in the room with me when I was brought here,” Lucy said as they stepped onto the ship and were instantly wrapped in blankets. Edmund tried to avoid the stern look Lord Dirinian was currently giving him and instead focused on his sister.

“Caspian!” Lucy called out as the King appeared over the side of the ship along with Eustace, who scuttled away from him and promptly slipped over. Caspian shook his head at the strange individual they fished out the ocean before walking over to Lucy and brought her into a quick hug.

“Lucy! It’s great to you see you” Caspian said as he let go and moved to Edmund’s side, taking Edmund’s hand in his and entangling their fingers together.

“I can’t believe I’m back in Narnia, didn’t you call for me?” Lucy asked.

“No. Not this time” Caspian said, shooting a look at Edmund to ask whether it was him who blew the horn. Edmund shook his head. He had been tempted, but he didn’t want to do that to Narnia, Lucy would return to Narnia when she was needed, which was apparently now. It made little sense. After the last three years there was nothing but peace, so there was no need for Lucy or Eustace to turn up. Lucy opened her mouth to say something else, but the peace was broken when a sharp cry called out. Edmund sighed, it had been a while since he saw his cousin last and he wouldn’t lie he wasn’t looking forward to being trapped on the ship with him.

“Get that thing off me!” Eustace cried struggling to bat Reepicheep from on top of him, successfully hitting him once which sent him flying across the deck and to Lucy’s feet.

“Reepicheep!” Lucy said, smiling down at the mouse who was brushing himself off before turning to face Lucy and bowing.

“Oh. Your Majesty. It’s a pleasure to see you again, but first, what to do about this hysterical interloper?” Reepicheep said.

“That giant rat thing… just tried to claw my face off!” Eustace screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Reepicheep.

“I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, sir,” Reepicheep said in his defense, Edmund just sighed he could see what was coming from a mile away, they all had the same reaction when they discovered some animals who couldn’t talk in their world could in this one. Mr and Mrs Beaver were a surprise, but for the sake of saving Narnia from the White Witch, they had quickly gotten over it. Eustace, on the other hand, had never experienced anything like this in his life before, mice don’t talk in England.

“It talked! Did you see it? Did anyone just hear that? It just talked!” Eustace cried out in horror.

“He always talks,” Edmund said announcing his presence to his cousin who until now hadn’t realise that Edmund was among them.

“It’s getting him to shut up that’s the trick” Caspian laughed, it was well known on the Dawn Treader that Reepicheep could always find something to say whether it’s random facts he’s discovered during his lifetime or stories of his adventures he’s had before joining the Talking Mice of Narnia.

“Ed-Edmund!” Eustace cried out, storming his way through the crew and towards his cousin.

“Hello Eustace, it’s been a while,” Edmund said trying to be civil with Eustace, whenever his aunt, uncle, and cousin had visited the Pevensie family home or vice versa it always ended with Eustace and Edmund nearly getting in a scuffle but this time he couldn’t exactly do that not only was he a king he was also pregnant and he knew that the crew would jump to his aid if Eustace ever showed himself as a threat to Edmund.

“But your dead!” Eustace cried, his voice rising high. Edmund blinked, then he looked at Lucy.

“When you ran off and disappeared, they brought in the police to find you. They couldn’t so, because of your sudden change in behaviour they ruled it as a suicide. Cased closed. The entire family was informed and a few weeks later we held a funeral for you. Mother, Father, even Susan believe that you are dead,” Lucy explained, Edmund just stared at her, he wasn’t sure what to think. He had expected some investigation into his disappearance, but he never considered that his family would believe he was dead, a runaway maybe but dead, “I, of course, and Peter never believed that. Peter saw you disappear right in front of him and we believed they have brought you back to Narnia and we were right,”.

“Oh my god, I’m dead. I drowned,” Eustace said as he slowly started panicking.

“You’re not dead, Eustace,” Lucy said to her cousin. She could already tell that he was going to be hard work.

“Then I demand to know, just where in the blazes am I?” Eustace shouted, looking at Caspian, then to Edmund before his eyes finally settled on Lucy.

“You’re on the Dawn Treader… the finest ship in Narnia’s navy,” Tavros said, stepping out from behind his kings and towards Eustace. Eustace took one look at the minotaur in front of him, his eyes wide from shocked before they rolled back into his head and Eustace collapsed to the floor. Edmund just stared at the unconscious form of his cousin and sighed, this was going to be the longest few weeks if Eustace was trapped with them but it wasn’t like they could throw him back overboard in hope that Aslan would send him back to England no matter how tempting it was.

“See to him will you Tavros,” Caspian ordered before climbing up the steps to overlook the crew, “Men behold our castaway, Lucy the Valiant High Queen of Narnia,”.

“Might I say your majesty, standing in wet clothes is not a good idea in your condition,” Reepicheep said, giving Edmund the once over.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I promise I wouldn’t do anything like that again” Edmund said wrapping his arm around Lucy’s shoulders, ignoring the confused look she sent his way as he guided her up the steps and towards his cabin. Even though he and Caspian shared a cabin most nights, he still had the right to have his own cabin if he so desired it, “I’m sure we can find you some of my clothes that will fit you”.

* * *

Edmund hurried his sister into his room, pointed out where his spare clothes were being kept, and told her to change into something dry before disappearing before she could say another word. Not that he didn’t want to tell his sister about his pregnancy, it was more; he was scared to. After all, it had taken a few weeks before Edmund got his head around his current condition, let along the Council of Lords or the people in their kingdom. He knew eventually he would have to tell her but for now, Edmund decided that he wanted to keep it a secret, get used to being around Lucy once more, and tell her about his relationship with Caspian (although he expected Lucy had already figured it out, after all, it wasn’t hard since Caspian had literally held his hand on deck after they fished Lucy and Eustace out the water) before dropping the bombshell that he was expecting.

First, Edmund needed to change out of these wet clothes, it wouldn’t do him or his baby well staying in them for long periods of time. Caspian was in their cabin already changed when Edmund pushed the door open. He didn’t spare Caspian a passing glance as he pulled off his wet tunic and trousers before ferreting inside his draws from some clean clothes.

“Edmund…” Caspian started before trailing off, his eyes staring at the round bulge of Edmund’s stomach, the only evidence they had to show Edmund was in fact pregnant. Caspian stood up from where he was, sat on their bed, and moved over to Edmund, wrapping his arms around Edmund’s waist and resting his hand on his boyfriend’s bump.

“Don’t I know what you’re going to say. I took a big risk jumping into the ocean to rescue Eustace and Lucy, yes, I know there are many capable people of this crew who would have been more than happy to go into the water” Edmund said, he knew he hadn’t really been thinking when he saw those two people in the water, had it been ship wreckage then Edmund knew he would have been more than happy to let someone else dive into the water to rescue them but he knew, just by looking he knew deep down that those people were his family and before his brain could even comprehend what it was doing, he had jumped into the water.

“I promise that I will never do anything like that again, but you can’t sideline me, Caspian, you can’t. If I were further along than I would understand you want me to be careful, but now, I can’t just sit to the side and wait for you to return, it will drive me stir-crazy. I promise from now on I will be careful but the sudden appearance of Lucy must mean that something is going to happen and we will end up fighting again and an unarmed pregnant king would be more of a hazard than an armed one. I know how to fight Cas; I know how to protect myself and I know that no matter what you will always be there to protect me and our baby,” Edmund said turning in Caspian’s arms and wrapping his own arms around Caspian’s neck before drawing the taller boy in for a kiss.

* * *

The couple head to the stern cabin, Edmund had briefly said to Lucy about meeting them there before he darted off to Caspian’s cabin. Lucy was already waiting for them when they reached the stern cabin, Caspian pushed the cabin door opened and walked inside with the siblings following close behind him. Lucy gasped in awe as she looked at the beautiful paintings on the wall. One was the Battle of Beruna, another was Caspian’s coronation and even a painting of Edmund. But what caught Lucy’s eye was a golden plated ornament of Aslan’s face just above a bow and arrows which she recognised belonged to Susan.

“Aslan, oh look Susan’s bow and arrows,” she said letting her fingers trace over them before she turned and looking at the rest of the cabin, she saw Peter’s sword and even Edmund’s torch.

“I kept them with me just in case you were brought back to Narnia during my reign,” Caspian said opened a cupboard, pulling out a familiar sight.

“My healing cordial and dagger” Lucy smiled walking over only slightly hesitating as if she wasn’t sure whether she was allowed to touch it “Oh, may I?”.

“Of course, they’re yours,” Caspian said, handing the box to Lucy before returning to Edmund’s side. Caspian knew he was acting a little over protective with Edmund at the moment, he knew Edmund was perfectly capable of protecting himself from any threats they were to face, and had this been any other day then Caspian would have been fine to let Edmund jump off the ship to save his sister but this wasn’t that, they couldn’t just think about themselves anymore they had someone else to worry about. Their own little treasure currently growing inside Edmund’s stomach, he couldn’t risk losing this child, he couldn’t. Caspian couldn’t lose either of them.

“So, what’s been happening in Narnia since I was last here,” Lucy asked pulled Caspian out of his thoughts.

“Well since you left, the Giants of the North surrendered unconditionally,” Caspian said pointing his finger over the north on the map then moved it to the Great Desert “then we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert. There is peace across all of Narnia,”.

“Peace?” Lucy said, how long had it been since she left Narnia, how long had it been for Edmund since they whisked away from him from his family. 

“In just three years,” Caspian said as if he was reading her mind.

“Wait, so if there're no wars to fight and no one is in trouble, then why was I brought here?” Lucy said, it made little sense, if all the wars have already been fought then why did Aslan bring her here, she doubted that they were under the same circumstances that Edmund’s were, whatever Edmund’s circumstances were, she hadn’t really been told anything about her brother’s life in Narnia.

“it’s a good question. I’ve been asking myself the same thing” Caspian said shrugging, they weren’t expecting any trouble when they arrive at the lone islands or not any that needed the help and support of the high queen of Narnia.

“So where are we sailing to?” Lucy asked.

“Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father’s closest friends and most loyal supporters. The seven lords of Telmar, they fled to the Lone Islands, and no one has heard from them since,” Caspian explained, pointing to the small mark on the map which showed where the lone islands were.

“Caspian believes that something might have happened to them. So, we’re sailing to find out if anything has happened to them. It might explain your sudden arrival, Lu,” Edmund continued.

“Right, so what’s east of the Lone Islands?” Lucy asked, noticing a large blank area on the map.

“Uncharted waters, things you can barely imagine. There are tales of sea serpents and worse,” Lord Dirinian said.

“… sea serpents?” Edmund said, raising an eyebrow at the Lord Dirinian.

“All right, Captain, that’s enough of your tall tales,” Caspian said, dismissing the Captain to return to his post on the ship.

“You never finish telling me what happened at home other than my supposed demise?” Edmund asked, he couldn’t say he wasn’t curious about what happened to his family, he didn’t regret returning to Narnia and being reunited with Caspian but that didn’t mean he didn’t miss his family. He would always miss them.

“Well, after you disappeared and was deemed dead, I was sent off to Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold whilst Peter and Susan went to America with Mother and Father,” Lucy said before trailing off a pained look appeared in her eyes before she took in a deep breath and continued, “This was days after your funeral, they didn’t let us have chance to mourn or anything, I honestly felt like I didn’t matter, I don’t think it would have been so bad if Peter or Susan was still with me but I was all by myself being ordered about by Aunt Alberta or ignored by Uncle Harold, I was only glad that I had a spare room so I didn’t have to share with Eustace who tried to make every moment of my time there a misery but that doesn’t matter now, I’m back in Narnia and that’s all that matters,”.

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to be there for you, Lucy,” Edmund said. He felt bad. This was his little sister who had been sent away whilst the rest of the family left for America. After losing one child already, wouldn’t they have been prepared to keep all their children together just in case they lost another?

“What happened has happened and now I’m back where I belong,” Lucy said smiling. She would not let it get to her whist she was back in Narnia. It was something to think about later on. Not when she needed to learn all the gritty details about her brother’s life with King Caspian, “Anyway, that’s enough of some depressing tales. What about you two? I saw you holding hands, so is it safe to assume that you two are…” Lucy was cut off when the door to the stern cabin swung open and Eustace scurried through, his eyes darted around the room taking in everything he could see before turning to face his cousins. 

“I see you’re all still dabbling in fairy tales” Eustace muttered as he approached the others.

“Feeling better are we,” Lucy asked.

“As well as one can be when they are trapped on a ship in a make-believe land,” Eustace said, glaring at Lucy before turning to look away.

“You’re are going to have to accept it someday Eustace, who knows how long it will be before you even have the opportunity to return home,” Lucy said, she didn’t want to be harsh, she had seen firsthand the effects of someone’s idea of the world suddenly being shattered when they arrived in Narnia, Susan was a prime example of that, always wanting to leave and at some point, she didn’t want to accept where her life was slowly going too, “anyway, we were saying. So, how long have you been together, who asked who out, wait let me guess it was Caspian”.

“You’re dating,” Eustace said, looking from Edmund to Caspian then back to Edmund. The look on his face wasn’t something Edmund could really describe, it was a mix of horror and wonder.

“Yes, officially we’ve been together for eight months, give or take,” Edmund started before pausing for a moment, silently debating whether to continue but gave in, “In this land Eustace, homosexuality is an accepted thing,”.

Eustace opens his mouth to retaliate before a thought passed through his mind and he decided against it. They then sat in silence. Neither Caspian, Edmund, or Lucy knew how to carry on the conversation without freaking Eustace out any more than he already was, but luckily the trio was saved when someone from the crow’s nest shouted “Land ho”.

* * *

Something was wrong, Edmund could feel it in his bones. There could be a million and one reasons why the lone islands no longer flew a Narnian flag. It wasn’t like anyone from Narnia itself kept communication with the lone islands since the telmarines invaded, but that wasn’t what was keeping Edmund unsettled; it was the lack of people, the lack of noise. During their golden age, Edmund used to visit the lone islands frequently to arrange trade deals and sample the goods before we shipped them to Narnia. He knew these islands like the back of his hand, and he knew it was never this quiet. The town centre was always packed with shoppers visiting the market or the children playing in the streets. It replaced the sound of life with this deafening silence; it was too quiet, this was wrong.

Caspian had tried to get Edmund to stay behind on the Dawn Treader but to little success, whilst Caspian had agreed to keep Edmund’s pregnancy a secret until Edmund himself was ready to tell his sister, it also meant that Edmund couldn’t be forced to sit out without it drawing some unwanted questions from Eustace and Lucy. If anyone should stay behind on the ship it really should be Eustace who had no combat experience whatsoever. It honestly made Caspian question how he was even related to the king and queen of old as Eustace clambered out the longboat and promptly slipped on the steps after refusing help from Reepicheep.

“Are you sure he’s related to you by blood?” Caspian asked, looking down at his boyfriend.

“I know he’s completely different to us yet, he still is our cousin,” Edmund replied taking Caspian’s hand in his and pulled him away from the others, “Eustace now is what I was like before coming to Narnia, I was arrogant, I easily got into fights with Peter but I also felt overshadowed and belittled by Peter and Susan, when I arrived in Narnia the first time I met the White Witch and she was the first person who makes me feel special that I was just as important as Peter and that moment of warmth and affection made me betray my whole family. Narnia changed me from some arrogant brat to who I am now. We can only hope that same thing happens to Eustace as well,”.

Caspian said nothing. He knew how hard it was for Edmund to talk about the time he betrayed his family. Instead, Caspian leaned down and pressed their lips together in a quick kiss.

“Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian’s men and secure the place. We’ll head on,” Caspian ordered, dropping Edmund’s hand and drew his sword, “If we don’t come back by dawn, send a party,”.

Edmund stuck to Caspian’s side as they traveled to the main plaza of town, it was deserted with stalls kicked over and doors kicked in. What the hell had happened here? It looks like a ghost town, but it can’t be. The lone islands were always a cheerful place. If the seven lords visited the lone islands, then Edmund was only doubtful that they would have stayed long. Eustace as expected was whinging saying how they really should head back to the ship and how it looks like no one was here, it was obvious that no one was here but that didn’t mean they could leave until one; they found out what happened here and two, if they found any clues to if any of the seven lords had stopped here and where they had traveled next.

“Do you want to come here and guard… something?” Edmund said, as they stood outside the lone island’s town hall, or at least that was what it used to be.

“Ah yes. Good idea, cousin. Very, uh…. Logical” Eustace said reluctantly taking the dagger from Caspian and turned his back on the others as they pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

* * *

Slave traders, it had to be freaking slave traders! Why couldn’t anything in his life be freaking simple for once, why couldn’t there have been a plague which wiped out the citizens or they simply moved somewhere else, why did it have to be slave traders of all things? Now he and Caspian had been separated from Lucy and Eustace and thrown in some cell waiting for whatever came next.

“You all right?” Caspian asked when he noticed Edmund had woken up.

“Umm… yeah I’m fine,” Edmund said, resting a hand on his stomach as he pushed himself up, slightly jumping when Caspian kicked the gate once more.

“It’s hopeless, you’ll never get out,” an unfamiliar voice said out of the dark.

“Who’s there?” Caspian asked as he slowly approached the voice. The person was hiding in a small cave in the cell wall.

“Nobody. Just a voice in my head,” the voice said as he slowly immerging from the shadows. It was an old man, his hair and beard were sticking out in all directions. Edmund had no idea who this man was or why he was trapped down here, but from the look on Caspian’s face, he seemed to recognise the old man.

“Lord Bern?” Caspian asked.

“Perhaps once, but I’m no longer deserving of that title,” the old man – Lord Bern said.

“Is he one of the seven?” Edmund asked, he vaguely recognised the name.

“Your face…. You remind me of a king I once loved well” Lord Bern said, look up at Caspian with a confused look on his face as if he was questioning whether Caspian was really there or if he was hallucinating someone else.

“That man was my father,” Caspian said, kneeling down in front of the lord to get a better look at him.

“Oh, my lord, please forgive me,” Lord Bern said, struggling to get onto his knees and bow. Caspian shook his head as carefully helped the old man to his feet. Whilst Edmund had carefully climbed the wall of the cell and looked out the small window to see a wagon full of chained up people were being taken to the docks and loaded onto boats.

“Where are they taking them?” Edmund asked as Caspian appeared beside him.

“Keep watching” was all Lord Bern said, Edmund and Caspian shared a glance before turning their attention back to the people who were now drifting in the water away from the lone island. Then it happened: some green mist slowly rose from the water and engulfed the boat before both the boat and the mist disappeared without a trace.

“What happened?” Caspian said, jumping down from the window to look at Lord Bern.

“It’s a sacrifice, no one knows where they go,” Lord Bern started, “The mist was first seen in the east, reports of fishermen and sailors disappearing out at sea. We lords made a pact to find the source of the mist to destroy it. They each set sail, but none came back. You see, if they don’t sell you to the slave traders, you’re likely to be fed to the mist,”.

“We have to find Lucy and Eustace,” Edmund said tucking himself into Caspian’s arms, the unspoken ‘before it’s too late’ lay heavy on their ears.

It wasn’t long before the slave traders returned, yanking Edmund and Caspian away from each other before shackling their hands and pushing them out of the cells and lead towards the market, there was already a fight broken out and from the little Edmund could make out from being stuck Caspian and the slave traders but he could just about see and hear Lord Dirinian, Reepicheep and Travos as they shouted ‘for Narnia’ before attacking the slave traders who dared hurt their kings and queen.

“Maybe you should wait here,” Caspian said after they freed themselves from the slave traders holding them hostage and unlocked the shackles on their hands.

“Had it been any other circumstance I would agree with you but here,” Edmund started grabbing a sword from a dead slave trader before slicing another one who came charging at them, “but, I really don’t think this is the time or place for me to just sit out,”. 

Caspian looked like he wanted to argue with Edmund, but he knew he couldn’t. Edmund was right, the slave traders would come after him no matter if he tried to avoid the fighting.

“Fine, but stay by my side, if anything happened to you I…” Caspian trailed off. It wouldn’t help him if he thought about it. Edmund just nodded his head. The battle was over just as quickly as it started. The slave traders were not skilled to hold their own against trained knights of Narnia. All the remaining alive slave traders were quickly rounded up and put in the cells and the lost islands were once again bustling with noise, the cheers of happiness as the residents left their homes without the fear of being carted away from their family and being sold into slavery or being fed to the mysterious green mist, they even picked up another recruit whose wife was stolen by the mist earlier that morning. It was only right to bring him along and help him search and rescue his wife from the mist.

“My king, my king” Lord Bern cried as he walked over to Caspian and Edmund holding some object covered in coral, “this was given to me by your father. I hid it safely in a cave all these years”.

“That’s an old Narnian sword, if I remember correctly it was from our golden age. Aslan entrusted them to us after the defeat of the white witch. There are six others excluding this one,” Edmund said.

“That’s correct, your father entrusted them to us, so take it and may it protect you,” Lord Bern said, passing the sword to Caspian.

“Thank you, my lord, and we shall find your lost citizens” Caspian vowed as he placed his hand on Edmund’s back and guided him towards the boats.

“Here Ed, you take it, you know more about them than I do,” Caspian said handing the coral-covered sword over to Edmund.

“It’s only because I used one of these swords during our golden age unlike the others I wasn’t gifted a weapon so I had to use whatever was spare” Edmund explained, when his family met Father Christmas and was given their weapons (which they used throughout their reign and their return to Narnia) Edmund was trapped in the White Witch dungeon with Mr Tumnus. Edmund shook his head; he couldn’t dwell on the past, not when they had this dark mist to defeat. Edmund climbed into the boat beside Caspian and curled up to his side, resting his head on Caspian’s shoulder as Caspian wrapped his arm around Edmund’s waist. The pair stayed like that as Travos and another sailor rowed back to the Dawn Treader.

The couple disappeared into their cabin when they arrived back on the Dawn Treader, Caspian silently giving Lord Dirinian a look which told him that he was in charge until they returned. That had been two hours ago. The couple stayed silent, cuddling together on their bed, both content with being in each other’s presence. They didn’t talk about what had happened on the lone islands, not yet at least. They needed some time to process what had happened and to reassure themselves that the other is fine, that they are both fine.

Eventually, Caspian stood up from their bed and started pacing back and forth. Edmund just waited, he knew his boyfriend better than anyone; he knew Caspian needed time to figure out what he wanted to say before he said it.

“This can’t happen again Edmund, my heart can’t take anymore. If I lose you again… it would break me, Edmund,” Caspian said, Edmund, pushed himself off their bed and walked over to Caspian, wrapping his arms around Caspian’s neck as Caspian’s arms went around his waist, “I understand that being a king of Narnia comes with risk, I know that. Whenever we go on these voyages, there will always be a chance that someone or something is gunning for us, but this was too close Ed, I can’t lose the two of you,”.

“What do you mean lose the two of you?” Lucy asked pushing the door to Caspian’s cabin open, she and Eustace had only come down to check on the couple after they had spent the last two hours down here without resurfacing, it was tense, the whole crew was worried about their kings, they were worried about something Lucy knew that hadn’t been told to her, the look in their eyes told her as much. Edmund and Caspian for some reason were still keeping secrets from her, not that she felt offended or anything, she hadn’t seen her brother for nearly a year after they were separated at boarding school and then Edmund returning to Narnia, they had the right to keep their secrets but it didn’t stop her from worrying and the crews' unease was making it worse. She hadn’t meant to spy on her brother and Caspian’s conversation, she hadn’t but that didn’t stop her and now she had overheard something that confused her even more. What could Caspian mean lose the two of them, there was only Edmund and Caspian in the cabin who was this other person he was referring to?

Edmund looked at Caspian. He hadn’t expected his sister and cousin to come barging into their room but at the same time he really should have expected it, out of all the siblings Lucy was the one with the biggest heart, she cared the deepest and worried the most, Edmund should have expected that she would eventually come down here to check on him. He knew he couldn’t hide this forever; he had only wished that he had the chance to prepare himself for this, to figure out what he was going to say and how he was going to say it but that didn’t matter now, the truth had to come out whether or not Edmund was ready for it.

He took in a deep breath and said, “Lucy, Eustace. There is something we haven’t told you, it’s about why Caspian and the crew have been even more protective of me… Lu, Eustace… the thing is… I’m pregnant,”. 


	2. Edmund is Done With Eustace (+Some Deadly Mist)

_He took in a deep breath and said, "Lucy, Eustace. There is something we haven't told you, it's about why Caspian and the crew have been even more protective of me… Lu, Eustace… the thing is… I'm pregnant,"._

* * *

Eustace and Lucy said nothing, instead, they just stared at Edmund and Caspian. Lucy looked confused whilst Eustace was staring at them as if Edmund had grown another head. So instead Edmund lifted his shirt up to reveal his small but noticeable baby bump. Their eyes widen as Lucy slowly moved forward and gently placed her hand on Edmund’s stomach.

“How,” She asked her eyes were glued on her brother’s bump which was solid to the touch, it wasn’t flabby but hard, Edmund hadn’t been lying, there really was a baby in there but that made little sense, males couldn’t become pregnant, that much was true for Narnia as much as it was for England.

“Aslan,” Caspian started, “It was his gift to us. When you left Narnia, the last time Edmund, and I wasn’t meant to be ripped away from each other, we are meant to be together and Aslan saw this, when Edmund was returned to Narnia, Aslan gifted us with the ability to have a child,”.

“That’s amazing,” Lucy said smiling before throwing her arms around Edmund’s neck pulling her brother into a tight hug, she was so happy for her brother and Caspian, being gifted with such an amazing surprise, she couldn’t wait to be there for them and help with raising her niece or nephew, this made up her mind, no matter what happened during this journey she knew it would lead them to Aslan and if he allowed her just like her brother, she would stay in Narnia for the rest of her life. Her heart belong to Narnia more than it did to England, she would miss her life back there, she would miss her parents and her siblings, she hate that they would grow old believing they had lost another child but they would cope, they had with Edmund supposed passing and they would cope with her disappearance. Eustace when he returned home could always tell Susan and Peter what truly happened to their younger brother and sister and maybe if they were lucky, it would reunite them in Aslan’s country when they passed.

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you earlier, I was a bit worried about how you would react but I should have believed you would take it in your stride, you were the first person to find and accept Narnia as our new home and the madness which comes with it,” Edmund said hugging his sister back, he could feel his worries slowly fade out his body, everything had been fine, his sister had accepted his pregnancy with open arms.

Edmund and Lucy pulled away from each other at the sound of a thump coming from behind them. They looked over to see Eustace on the floor after fainting once more. Edmund sighed apparently whilst Lucy had accepted it with open arms, his pregnancy had blown Eustace’s mind. His poor cousin, Narnia, seemed to be too much for him with the existence of mythical creatures, talking animals, and male pregnancy.

“Well, it looks like we have found Eustace’s only talent besides whining,” Caspian said, looking down at the unconscious boy. Edmund and Lucy laughed before helping Caspian move Eustace to his bunk. Everything would be alright with his boyfriend and sister by his side. This dark mist wouldn’t know what hit it when it finally crossed blades with Caspian X and The Pevensie.

* * *

Apparently, Eustace hadn’t learned his lesson. Edmund was now watching his cousin fighting their most skilled swordsman well mouse. Reepicheep had the obvious advantage as he brought his sword down at Eustace who could barely block and protect himself, it was obvious to anyone who watched that Reepicheep found Eustace interesting and a puzzle he was going to solve, everyone Reepicheep had previously met lived in Narnia, the only people he had ever met from another world was the kings and queens of old who by the time they officially met already knew the ins and outs of Narnia. Eustace didn’t, he believed in facts and logic whilst Narnia constantly defied what he knew and trusted in.

Caspian raised an eyebrow at Edmund as Eustace tried to lunge at Reepicheep and nearly knocked off the ship or so Eustace believed as he looked over the side of the ship whilst Reepicheep climbed up the side and placed his sword to the back of Eustace’s neck. From what Edmund could see, Eustace’s body tensed up before he ungracefully threw himself to the side and right into some barrels, sending them crashing to the floor and its contents spilled out onto the deck.

Edmund sighed moving away from Caspian and walked over to his cousin to help him up, but he froze looking down at the two eyes staring up at him, it looked like they had a stowaway. A young girl was curled up in one barrel they had brought from the Lone Islands. Now Edmund thought about it. He recognised her.

“Gael? What are you doing here?” Mr Rhince said – right that was it, this little girl was Mr Rhince’s daughter. She had been chasing after her father when he asked Caspian to join the crew of the Dawn Treader. Edmund smiled, kneeling down in front of the young girl, and handed his hand to her, which she gratefully took and climbed out the barrels she’d been hiding in for the last few hours.

“Are you alright? Eustace didn’t hurt you, did he?” Edmund asked, his eyes checking over the girl for any injury. Gael shook her head, “that’s good”.

Edmund picked up the apple Eustace had originally stolen for himself and passed it over to the girl, she must be hungry, hiding in the barrel with no food, “Captain it looks like we have an extra crew member” he said, he saw Mr Rhince’s tense shoulders deflate as Gael ran over to her father with the apple in hand.

“Welcome aboard Miss Rhince, we hope you can help us keep the crew in line,” Lord Dirinian said smiling at the young girl who smiled back and nodded before hiding her head in her father’s leg.

“Lu, will she be able to room with you?” Edmund asked, looking over at his sister. Lucy nodded before motioning for Gael to follow her. Gael gave Edmund a grin before curtsying in front of the king and ran off after Lucy.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Mr Rhince said, bowing his head.

“She just a little girl who didn’t want to lose her father. You can’t blame her for coming after you,” Edmund said, dismissing him and walking over to Caspian.

“You know you’re going to be an amazing father when our little one is born,” Caspian said, wrapping his arm around Edmund’s waist and pulled him close.

“You think?” Edmund said, blushing.

“Yeah, with how you dealt with Mr Rhince’s daughter, I can just imagine you being like that with our child,” Caspian said, pressing a kiss to Edmund’s temple and tightened his grip around his boyfriend.

“She just reminded me of Lucy when she first arrived in Narnia. She kept sneaking away from us to meet with Mr Tumnus before the whole white witch situation. Lucy has such a big and caring heart I can just see that in Gael I guess and after everything, Mr Rhince and his daughter have been through with living in fear of the slave traders, with Gael’s mother and his wife being fed to the mist and then to be left behind whilst her father leaves. They shouldn’t have to be split up; I know what it’s like being kept away from family worrying whether you will ever see them again. Gael shouldn’t have to experience that at such a young age,” Edmund said, he remembered the fear as clear as day when he had been trapped with the White Witch, wondering whether the last thing he did with his siblings were arguing and when they were reunited he had expected that Aslan would sacrifice Edmund to gain the upper hand on the white witch, he wouldn’t have been surprised after everything he did, he had deserved to die for betraying his family.

Caspian brushed a small piece of hair that had fallen over Edmund’s face and tucked it behind his ear before leaning down to press their lips together. Edmund leaned up, going onto his tiptoes. Their lips nearly slotted together when someone shouted from the crow’s nest, “Land ho”.

Caspian groaned as he pulled away from Edmund. They both shared an annoyed look with each other but reluctantly separated and walled up to the poop deck. Lord Dirinian handed Caspian a telescope, Caspian lifted it to his eye and stared at the island in the distance. It was covered in trees, but other than that it looked empty with no sign of life. 

“It looks uninhabited,” Caspian said before handing the telescope to Edmund, “But if the lords followed the mist east, they would have stopped here,”

“Could be a trap” Lord Dirinian said. He didn’t fancy stopping at an island which could prove fruitless, but it wasn’t his call to make.

“Or it could hold some answers,” Edmund said, looking at Caspian. It was worth looking at the island. He didn’t know why, but he had a gut instinct that the island could hold some answers they were looking for, “Caspian?”.

“We’ll spend the night onshore. Scour the island in the morning,” Caspian ordered, handing the telescope back to Lord Dirinian.

“Aye, your majesty,” Lord Dirinian said before turning to the crew and started ordering them to prepare the longboats whilst others got provisions for the night. Edmund followed Caspian to their quarters, grabbing their weapons whilst doing so, Edmund grabbed his now clean coral free sword and sheath before attaching it around his waist.

“I guess it would be too much if I asked you to stay here?” Caspian said and Edmund shot him a look, the island looked deserted, Caspian had said that himself, there were no dangers on the island plus Edmund would feel more protected if he was actually surrounded by trained soldiers then waiting on the ship alone, “Yeah I know you wouldn’t”.

Caspian sighed; he was sure that Edmund was going to be the death of him, his heart couldn’t survive another scare like what had happened on the Lone Islands “Edmund, can I ask you something?”.

“Sure, what is it?” Edmund asked, Caspian looked nervous as he opened his mouth to speak, but a knock on their cabin door interrupted him.

“Your Majesty, the boats are ready,” Lord Dirinian said.

“You know what… it can wait for later” Caspian said. The crew would be waiting for them above deck and now he really thought about it, it probably wasn’t the ideal time to bring this up.

“… Okay,” Edmund said, shooting Caspian an odd look before following him out their cabin and up to the deck where Lucy and Eustace had already sat in a boat.

* * *

Night had fallen when they arrived on the island. The crew worked to set up a fire whilst Lucy and Gael handed out the food for that night. Edmund was already feeling shattered, his pregnancy was slowly taking all the energy out of him no matter how much he slept or rested for the night, and throughout the day, he fell asleep in Caspian’s arms, his head rested on Caspian’s chest.

“Ed. Ed, wake up” Edmund groaned as he felt someone shaking his shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes to see Caspian standing beside him. He frowned as he looked at his boyfriend as Edmund pushed himself into a sitting position. Then he saw the large footprints littering their campsite. What the hell had come here during the night? Edmund pushed himself up to his feet before letting his eyes search their surrounding when noticed that most of the footprints surrounded someone’s bed and not just anyone.

“Where’s Lucy?” Edmund said panicked, his sister was no longer in her bed and he knew that Lucy wouldn’t willingly wander off by herself on an island she could get lost in, “Lucy!” he called once more as Lord Dirinian woke up the crew members, his sister didn’t respond. Edmund grabbed his sword, pulling it out of the sheath, and followed Caspian as they followed the footprints leading away from the camp. It wasn’t long before they reached the forest and had to switch from following footprints to tracking broken twigs and branches.

“Lucy’s dagger,” Edmund said, running over to it and picked it up from the floor, but before he could do anything, he watched invisible creatures attack the crew and Caspian. His instincts were screaming for him to stand up and try to fight but he knew he couldn’t it wasn’t like he could see where the attacks were coming from and dodge them, he would fight blind hoping that he hit anything, he couldn’t risk getting hurt, he couldn’t risk his child getting hurt so instead he stayed near the floor watching the crew taking a beating.

“What sort of creatures are you?” Caspian asked, looking around, trying to make out some shape or outline of these creatures, but his eyes landed on nothing. He could only be glad that Edmund had taken the initiative to sit out of the fight, he trusted his boyfriend, Edmund was a skilled fighter but against invisible creatures whilst carrying a child it was too risky. 

“Big ones… with the head of a tiger and the body of a different tiger,” one voice said. It sounded like it came from in front of him.

“You don’t want to mess with us,” another said, this time coming from behind Caspian, “Or I’ll claw you to death,”.

“And I’ll ram my tusks right through you,” the first voice said again.

“And I’ll gnash you with my teeth” a different once spoke just as an outline started shimmering around the creatures to reveal that the tall creatures were in fact two only one leg creatures holding another up. It’s one leg was right under its fat body and had an enormous foot. If anything, they looked like dwarves with one massive foot. They weren’t as fierce as Caspian had first expected.

“You mean squash us with your fat bellies?” Edmund said standing up from where he was and walking over to Caspian glaring at the creatures in front of him.

“Tickle us with your toes?” Caspian said, picking his sword up, which had fallen to the ground during the attack. The creatures in front of him eyes widened as they realised that they were no longer invisible.

“What have you done with my sister, you little pip-squeak?” Edmund said, his sword pointed at what he believed was the chief of the creature’s neck.

“No, calm down,” the chief said, the courage he had whilst invisible suddenly lost.

“Where is she?” Edmund demanded; her dagger was here, but Lucy was still nowhere to be seen. He could only assume that she was the reason behind why they could now see these creatures. 

“You better tell him. Go on, Chief, tell him,” one creature said.

“In the mansion,” the chief said his head motioning behind him.

“What mansion?” Edmund said glaring at the chief, if there were a mansion on this island then they would have been able to see it from the Dawn Treader, just as Edmund was about to hit the irritating creature in front of him, the same shimmer which turned these creatures visible appeared and revealed the large mansion the creature was referring to “Oh that mansion”.

The mansion doors flung open and out stepped an old man with Lucy beside him, Edmund felt his body relax seeing that his sister was safe, the creatures, on the other hand, didn’t like the appearance of this man as they started shouting, “The Oppressor! The Oppressor!”.

“Lucy” Edmund smiled walking over to his sister and handed her dagger back to her, which she gratefully took from him.

“Your Majesty,” the old man said, bowing to Caspian.

“Caspian and Edmund. This is Coriakin, it’s his island,” Lucy explained. 

“You have wronged us, magician,” the chief said, hopping on the spot glaring at Coriakin.

“I have not wronged you. I made you invisible for your own protection” Coriakin said walking over to the chief just as Eustace appeared. Edmund internally slapped himself. With worrying about Lucy’s disappearance, he had completely forgotten about making sure Eustace was with them when they left camp to search for her.

“Protection? That’s oppressive! Oppressor!” the chief said jumping backward the closer Coriakin got to them. 

“I’ve not oppressed you,” Coriakin said reaching into his clock and threw something white at the creatures who screamed and jumped away screeching about Coriakin still being some oppressor to them. 

“What were those things?” Eustace asked as he stared at the creatures with a confused look on his face.

“Dufflepuds” Coriakin replied, turning away from where the Dufflepuds had been and walked back towards his mansion. Edmund noticed Eustace whispered something, but it wasn’t loud enough for him to hear but knowing Eustace it probably something about it the Dufflepuds not being logical or existing in mythology back home.

“What did you mean when you said you made them invisible for their own good?” Lucy asked as she followed Coriakin back inside the mansion with Caspian and Edmund.

“It seemed the easiest way to protect them from the evil” Coriakin replied as they entered a library and grabbed some scroll from the side.

“You mean the mist?” Edmund asked it made sense. The mist took what it wanted, maybe being invisible kept the mist from finding you.

“I mean what lies behind the mist” Coriakin replied, throwing the scroll onto the floor as it slowly unrolled and revealed that in fact, it was a map.

“That’s quite beautiful” Eustace gasped as he watched the art around the map come to life, it looked like some battle as two sides charged towards each other, he wondered what battle it came from but he didn’t dare ask after all he wanted nothing but to leave this world and return to England where everything made sense and was logical, “I mean, for a make-believe map of make-believe world”.

“There is the source of your troubles. Dark Island, a place where evil lurks. It can take any form. It can make your darkest dreams come true. It seeks to corrupt all goodness to steal the light from this world,” Coriakin said as the map moved to show an island covered in semi-solid, fog-like darkness and the green mist, the same mist which took those people back on the Lone Islands.

“How do we stop it?” Caspian asked. The slave traders fed those people to this mist, and Caspian bet that this was where they were taken.

“You must break its spell. That sword you carry there are six others” Coriakin explained pointing at the sword they received from Lord Bern.

“The six lords, they passed through here?” this was promising, it means that they were on the right track and hadn’t wasted the journey to the island. If Coriakin could point them in the direction of where the lords were headed, then it shouldn’t be that hard to track where they went next.

“Indeed,” Coriakin said.

“Where were they headed?” Caspian asked.

“Where I sent them,” Coriakin said. The map changed again this time it showed a blue star hovering above another island. “To break the spell, you must follow the Blue Start to Ramandu’s Island. There the seven swords must be laid at Aslan’s table. Only then can their true magical power be released, but beware you are all about to be tested. Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil has the upper hand. It will do everything in its power to tempt you. Be strong, don’t fall to temptation, to defeat the darkness out there you must defeat the darkness inside yourself,”.

* * *

They left soon after that, returning to the ship and set sail in search of Ramandu’s Island and this blue star; it didn’t help that not long after they left Coriakin’s island with renewed determination they had hit a terrible storm which hadn’t let up for an entire week and it was pushing everyone to their limits. Edmund had spent most of the time in either their cabin or the stern cabin throwing up, the constant jerking was taking a toll on Edmund’s body and somehow it made Edmund’s morning sickness worse, it honestly felt like the start of their journey all over again but this time his sickness was far, far worse. It didn’t help that everyone was having doubts about this mission, but there was no chance they could turn back now, even though Lord Dirinian frequently had suggested it.

“So we’re stuck here at half-rations, with food and water for two more weeks maximum, this is your last chance to turn back, your Majesties,” Lord Dirinian said, Lucy, Edmund, and Caspian had taken refuge from the weather in the Stern Cabin whilst Eustace continued to sulk below deck, “There’s no guarantee we’ll spot the Blue Star anytime soon not in this storm. Needle in a haystack, trying to find this Ramandu place. We could sail right past it and off the edge of the world,”.

“I’m just saying the men are getting nervous, there are strange seas we’re sailing the likes of which I’ve never seen before,” Lord Dirinian continued, Edmund didn’t blame them with the weather they were constantly having there was no chance that they could find the star in the grey and stormy sky “And you, your majesty this trip is not something ideal for someone in your condition,”.

“My pregnancy has nothing to do with this Captain, we can’t turn back now, not with everything at stake,” Edmund said maybe a little too harshly, he knew damn well that he really shouldn’t be here, he was paying the repercussions of that, each day his stomach grew a little bigger as their child developed but they couldn’t stop now just because of his condition, if they turned back now the mist would continue to get stronger and soon its power would reach the mainland of Narnia itself.

“Perhaps Captain, you would like to be the one to explain to Mr Rhince that we’re abandoning the search for his family,” Caspian said. He knew they couldn’t turn back now, and he knew the crew knew that. They had to keep moving forward, they needed to find the blue star and stop the mist.

“I’ll get back to it. Just a word of warning: the sea can play nasty tricks on the crew’s mind. Very nasty,” Lord Dirinian said, grabbing his coat and slipped out of the cabin and back onto the deck.

“It’s not just the sea playing tricks with people’s mind, the mist has been playing with our minds. I know it’s responsible for the nightmares I’m suffering about my father,” Caspian sighed, slipping down into his seat and looked over at Lucy.

“I’m afraid to admit that this mist has been getting to me also,” Lucy said thinking back to earlier that week when she let her insecurities get the better of her and she was forced to see what her family looked like without her in it and if they had never found Narnia. Susan acted like someone she’s not, Peter picked fights and fallen into a life of crime whilst Edmund was still arrogant and hated the world. Edmund didn’t deserve that type of life where he never truly accepted himself for who he was, a life where he didn’t have Caspian with him.

“I haven’t experienced anything” Edmund confessed. He didn’t know why, but each and every night he slept peacefully when Caspian was taunted by this mist with memories of his father.

“Is something protecting you?” Lucy said, “It can’t be because we’re from another world because then neither I nor Eustace would be affected, and I don’t know about Eustace, but the mist has messed with me,”.

“I don’t know maybe when we defeat the mist, we’ll find out” Edmund shrugged, he could only be grateful for whatever was protecting him because he wasn’t sure if he could deal with his worse nightmare and morning sickness at the same time.

* * *

The storm finally lifted a few days later to reveal a barren wasteland of an island in the distance.

“I doubt the lords stopped here, my liege. There’s no sign of anything living” Lord Dirinian said, and Edmund had to agree, whilst Coriakin’s island had given them food and water this island looked dead, if anything grew on this island it hadn’t for years but if the Lords had gone through anything as they had, then they would need to stop at an island which might promise the chances of food so whether or not they like it, they had to at least search the island for clues. They put two longboats into the water and a selected member of the crew along with Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, and Eustace sailed towards the island. 

“Reepicheep, Lord Dirinian, once we get ashore, take your men and search for food and water. The three of us will look for clues,” Caspian ordered Lord Dirinian and Reepicheep.

“Hang on, you mean the four of us,” Eustace said, causing the others to turn around and look at him, “please don’t send me back to the rat,”.

“I heard that,” Reepicheep said, looking over at Eustace from the other boat.

“Big ears” Eustace whispered under his breath looking down at the boat, his already sour mood had worsened.

* * *

The island didn’t look much better when they arrived on its shore. Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy had split away from the others, but the further they walked through the island there was no sign of anything living had ever stepped foot on this island in an exceedingly long time until them. Caspian was ready to call their search to an end and return to the boats when they heard a cracking sound.

Edmund looked down, horrified at his feet where the sound had emanated from. He didn’t have the chance to react when the floor crumbled away, and Edmund fell through the hole.

“Edmund” Caspian shouted, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked into the hole for any sign of his boyfriend in the dark cavern below.

“I’m alright… um… Caspian you might want to see this” Edmund shouted out of the darkness, Lucy and Caspian shared a look with each other before Lucy ran off. Darting to the boats which had been left abandoned whilst the other group looked for food, she could only be relieved that it looked like Eustace had reluctantly gone with them and wasn’t left behind sulking on the boats. She grabbed the rope from the one boat before running back to Caspian, who hooked one end of the rope to what looked like a strong rock before throwing the other end down into the hole.

Caspian abseiled down first, making sure that the rope could hold his weight before allowing Lucy to come down. They found Edmund standing by a pool of water, looking unharmed, much to Caspian’s relief.

“What’s that?” Caspian asked as he and Lucy walked over and peered down into the water, which seemed to be filled with gold items.

“I don’t know” Edmund replied, but whatever it wasn’t he didn’t like the look of it. In Narnia, gold normally met trouble in some shape or form especially if it was linked with a dragon, whilst Edmund doubted that a dragon could fit down here without collapsing the cavern he didn’t want to mess around with the gold in the water just to find out.

“Looks like some sort of gold statue,” Lucy said in awe whilst Edmund pulled off a branch from the wall and put it into the water. 

“Ah!” Edmund said as he fought to keep hold of the branch which had suddenly become extremely heavy, but eventually relented and dropped the branch into the water and watched in amazement and horror as the once wooden branch slowly turned into gold. This lake turned whatever touched it to gold, which means…

“He must have fallen in,” Caspian said horrified as he looked down at the gold statue which would forever be trapped in this water, it wasn’t like they could pull him out and give him a proper burial with the waters magical power to turn things into actual gold, they couldn’t risk someone else falling in trying to pull the statue out. 

“Poor man,” Lucy said.

“You mean, poor lord” Edmund replied pointing to the crest on the shield. He recognised it from the symbols in the Stern Cabin, but he couldn’t remember which Lord it belonged to. 

“The crest of Lord Restimar,” Caspian said solemnly. Edmund reached out, taking Caspian’s hand in his, and gave it a squeeze. He knew how important it was to Caspian to find and bring his father’s closest friends back home, and this was the first one they had found who was dead, and Edmund had a feeling that this would not be the last one.

“And his sword,” he said pointing to the sword lay next to the statue.

“We need it,” Caspian said as Edmund pulled his own sword out of its sheath. It made sense. The sword in the water hadn’t turned to gold, so that must mean that the magic in the swords protected it from the cursed water.

“Be careful” Caspian said, holding onto Edmund’s waist as he leaned over and carefully sliding his sword into the water, gently hooking the blade under the handle and pulled it free from the water.

“Your sword hasn’t turned to gold,” Lucy said, surprised.

“Both the swords are magical” Caspian said helping to pull Edmund back whilst he swung his sword around to Lucy who took it off Edmund’s sword which he instantly re-sheathed before stepping far away from the water, he wanted to put as much distance between him and the pool as possible.

“We better get back to the others,” Edmund said motioning for Lucy to return to the rope and climb back up, Edmund turned back to look at Caspian who hadn’t followed instead he seemed to stare almost hypnotised at the pond and Edmund didn’t like that look one bit, he felt unsettled being in this cavern for as long as they had. And being near a pool which turned things into gold was just as much trouble as a dragon’s cursed treasure.

“Caspian, we’re heading back now,” Edmund said, raising his voice a little louder, but his boyfriend still didn’t react. Lucy now shared the same concerned look on her face as Edmund did. He walked over to Caspian and he didn’t like what he saw. Caspian’s eyes were clouded with flicks of green appearing in Caspian’s brown eyes. Edmund called Caspian’s name, but still, he didn’t respond. Now he was panicking, he needed to get Caspian away from this death water before something horrible happened, like Caspian falling in and ending up like that poor lord. Caspian’s body was mostly height and muscle, so pushing or pulling him would be a task, but it would be worth it just to get him away from this water. Taking his boyfriend’s hand in his, Edmund hoped that maybe Caspian’s legs would work automatically but the clouded look in Caspian’s eyes disappearance and instead Caspian looked down at Edmund with a confused but clear look on his face, whatever had happened seemed to have vanished, “We’re leaving, we have the sword and the others are probably waiting for us back the boats”.

Caspian nodded; his eyes darted to the water, but other than that, he let Edmund pull him away from it. Neither let go of the others’ hands until it was their turn to climb up the rope.

* * *

They said nothing as they walked back, no one could really comprehend what had just happened so instead they walked back in silence with Edmund and Caspian’s fingers interlinked. The sight of the boats and the other group was a welcome sight to see, however just as Edmund had expected from this island there wasn’t much food, the other group hardly filling two baskets with… well Edmund wasn’t exactly sure what food it was but at least it was something.

“What food did you find?” Caspian asked, looking at the baskets.

“This entire land is volcanic so not much grows,” Mr Rhince said before grabbing the basket he was showing Edmund and Caspian and helped the others load what little they had found onto the boats.

“Where’s Eustace?” Lucy asked, and Edmund looked around to find a sore lack of his cousin anywhere to be seen. He shouldn’t be surprised; Eustace wasn’t exactly happy about going with Reepicheep in the first place, so sneaking off when no one was looking should have been expected. But Edmund can’t help feeling a little disappointed. Eustace had seen weird and unbelievable things during his short time in Narnia, wouldn’t it have logical enough for Eustace to think about staying close to the people who lived in this world then wandering off on his own for god knows what to happen to him.

“I believe he’s out, not helping us load the boats,” Reepicheep said annoyed as he paused from handing a basket over to Mr Rhince to briefly search his surroundings to look for the weird relation to his king and queen to find nothing and returned to what he was previously doing.

“Eustace!” Lucy called, but no response came, “Edmund, I’ve got a bad feeling,”.

“I’ll go find him” Edmund sighed, handing over the other lord sword they had retrieved from that cavern and walked off. When he found Eustace, he was going to throttle him.

“I’ll come with you,” Caspian said, running after his boyfriend. Edmund was done with Eustace Scrubb.

* * *

They didn’t get far when they found a valley full of treasure; it had been a little further up from where Edmund had fallen and then found that death water. Just like that carven was trouble, this valley was too. Both Caspian and Edmund could recognise that this was cursed dragon treasure, and honestly, this gave him a worse feeling than that water did.

“Eustace” Edmund shouted, sliding down the side and into the valley, but still, no one answered. The unsettling feeling in his stomach grew when he noticed smoke coming off some burning clothes. Edmund moved closer and his heart dropped at the sight of the burnt clothes that had once belonged to Eustace, the same clothes his idiot cousin refused to change out of because he refused to accept. He was in another world. 

“No! Oh, cousin, I’m sorry. He was just a boy; I never should have left him” Edmund said, collapsing to his knees and picking up the book Eustace would constantly scribble in day after day, “What could have happened to him?”.

“In this place? Anything and he wasn’t the first” Caspian said turning to look at the skeleton behind him before noticing another crest of one of his father’s fallen friends “It’s Lord Octesian, we should his… sword”.

The sword was only a few meters away from Lord Octesian’s remains. Now he knew how Caspian was feeling, discovering the dead bodies of people he vowed to protect and bring home. Eustace didn’t deserve to die like this, he didn’t deserve to have his life cut short because he didn’t understand the world he had been dumped into. Edmund took Caspian’s hand in his as they climbed out the valley and headed back to the shore, he dreaded telling his sister about their cousin’s demise.

* * *

He heard it before he saw it, the sound of wings flapping behind, but just like the crumbling floor, he didn’t have the time to react until two claws grabbed a hold of his arm and lifted him off the floor.

“Edmund” the sound of Caspian shouting his name faded into the distance as the dragon carried him out to sea towards the Dawn Treader. He briefly caught a glimpse of Lucy standing on the poop deck beside Lord Dirinian and Gael. 

“Lucy! Lucy” Edmund shouted getting the attention of the whole ship who once they saw their king in trouble grabbed their crossbow and aimed it at the dragon who somehow seemed to realise what they were doing and start flying back towards the island still carrying Edmund. They flew over parts of the island that Edmund hadn’t seen until they reached an opening, and once again Edmund felt his heart dropped as he looked down at the words burnt into the ground.

“You have got to be joking,” Edmund said, looking up at the dragon who seemed to look sheepish if that was even possible for a dragon to even look, then looked back down at the words. ‘I AM EUSTACE’ were burnt into the floor. His cousin, his supposed dead cousin, had been turned into a dragon.

“Eustace take me back to Caspian,” Edmund said and the dragon – no and Eustace changed directions once more and headed back to the beach where a small group from the Dawn Treader had returned to the island with Lucy and Reepicheep among them.

“Caspian” Edmund shouted as Eustace lowered him down and he fell right into Caspian’s arms.

“You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days” Caspian whispered tucking his head into Edmund’s neck and taking in his scent, reassuring himself that Edmund was indeed fine, that he was in his arm that the dragon who had taken him had brought him back in one piece. Talking about dragons, Reepicheep charged at the dragon who was now stood beside them.

“Wait, don’t hurt him” Edmund shouted, pulling away from Caspian when he saw what Reepicheep was doing. Reepicheep froze and turned to look at his king.

“Edmund, what’s going on?” Lucy asked her brother.

“It’s Eustace,” Edmund said. Everyone looked at him with a blank look on their faces, “the dragon, he’s Eustace. There’s a valley close to here filled with treasure. Caspian and I found Eustace’s burn clothes among the treasure and believed that Eustace was dead however, it would seem it turned Eustace into a dragon whilst trying to take the treasure,”.

“He must have been tempted by it, anyone knows a dragon’s treasure is enchanted,” Caspian said and received a pointed look from Eustace which clearly read ‘well I didn’t’, “Well, anyone from here”.

Silence fell over them as no one really knew what to do. Throughout all these years of Narnian history, there had never been a case of someone being turned into a dragon, let alone being returned to their human form. There was a chance that Eustace was stuck like this for the rest of his life.

“The boats are ready, Sire” Mr Rhince said, walking over to the group.

“We can’t leave him alone,” Lucy said, and she was right, Eustace hadn’t known any better, it had been their fault they hadn’t tried to teach him the dos and don’ts of Narnia. Eustace is still family, even if he is a dragon.

“We can’t bring him on board, Your Majesty,” Lord Dirinian said. Eustace was too big to transport on the boat as it was, and he would take up half the deck by lying on it.

“Dirinian, you and the others take one boat back, the rest of us will stay here till morning and work out what to do,” Caspian said handing the other lord sword they had found to Dirinian.

“But you’ve no provisions and no means of staying warm, Your Majesty,” Mr Rhince said, which Eustace pulled another face before spitting out fire from his mouth and onto a single stick and set it ablaze.

“You were saying?” Reepicheep grinned. Who would have thought having a dragon for a cousin was pretty handy.

* * *

They settle down for the night whilst Caspian and Edmund lay beside one, both staring up at the stars whilst the others around them tried to fall asleep. Gael was quietly discussing something with Lucy whilst Reepicheep kept Eustace company.

“I’ve never seen these constellations before,” Caspian said, he had spent many of the hours on the roof of the castle with his tutor learning about all the stars in the sky and their meaning but these stars were new, their stories still waiting to be told, they were beautiful in their own way.

“Me neither” Edmund replied turning onto his side and shuffled closer to Caspian, resting his head on Caspian’s chest.

“We’re a long way from home,” Caspian told him, “When I was a boy I used to imagine sailing to the end of the world, finding my father there,”.

“Maybe you will” Edmund replied. He knew Caspian was talking about anything and everything meaningless to try to get his mind off what had happened in the cave earlier that day. He knew not to push him, but instead wait until Caspian figured out what he wanted to say.

“In that cavern, it tempted me, I was tempted to turn some items into gold for the good of Narnia. It was all I wanted, I could barely think about anything else. Something in the back of my mind was telling me how wrong this was and to fight, but I didn’t listen to it. And then suddenly that haze was lifted, and I could think for myself again,” Caspian confessed, he had never felt like that before completely out of control of his own body and actions it wasn’t until Edmund appeared in front of him and took his hand that he had gained all control again like Edmund was a shining light at the end of the dark tunnel, “I’m scared Edmund if the mist is this strong here then what is it going to be like at Dark Island,”.

“We can’t guess what is waiting for us at Dark Island, all we can do is move forward and face what we find head on. After everything we’ve been through since Caspian, some mist will not be our downfall. Look at what we’ve got going for us. We have a baby who’s relying on us to get through this. Forget about your fears Cas and think about what comes after, we’ll have our child to look after and raise, we’ll have our friends and kingdom to rule. We have everything we already need right here and no mist is ever going to take that away from us,” Edmund said, leaning up to pressing their lips together in a passionate kiss before returning to the position they were previously in. Caspian wrapped his arms around Edmund’s waist and rested his hand on Edmund’s stomach before the couple drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The sighting of the blue star had once again raised the crew’s determination as they set sail to Ramandu’s island with Eustace flying behind them. Unfortunately, after days of sailing with no island in sight, the determination turned to anger as the crew slowly got irritated with Eustace who was eating up more of their supplies by the day which in turn made Eustace wrap his tail around the dragon’s head of the ship and pulled it to their destination.

The Crew of The Dawn Treader climbed off the ship and crept through the trees, looking for any sign of Aslan’s table or the other Lords. It felt like they were wondering in circles, the only thing they could find was trees and well more trees it wasn’t until Travos smelt food that they had finally discovered a table of some sort which was covered in mouth-watering foods but that wasn’t the only thing that surprised them whilst a table in the middle of the forest was most peculiar at the end of the table covered in branches and leaves were three bodies.

“Lord Revilian and Lord Mavramorn and Argoz,” Caspian said looking at the crests the three men wore, and whilst he was staring at their chests he noticed that they were in fact moving up and down, these men were still alive “He’s breathing”.

“So are they” Edmund pointed out.

“They’re under a spell” Caspian cried out; it was the only thing that made sense. Three sleeping men surrounded by food where they didn’t know where it had come from. It was definitely suspicious, “It’s the food”.

“Huh?” Travos said, staring at the food he had bitten into in horror before dropping it on the floor whilst the others moved away from the table.

“Look it’s the stone knife, this is Aslan’s table” Lucy pointed out brushing the twigs which lay over the stone knife out the way, “Their swords”.

“On the table” Caspian and Edmund pulled out all the swords they had to gather during their trip whilst Lucy searched the unconscious bodies of the three lords and pulled their own swords out before resting them on the table with the others, “That’s six, we’re still missing one”.

“Look!” Travos shouted as the crew stared up into the sky to see the blue star slowly descending on them and transform into a woman with long blonde hair and wore a beautiful blue gown.

“Travelers of Narnia… welcome,” the woman said looking at the travelers then to the uneaten food in front of them, “Are you not hungry? Please eat”.

“Who are you?” Edmund asked, staring at the woman whilst the others started eating the food on the table with a little care in the world.

“I’m Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu. I am your guide,” the woman now known as Liliandil said.

“You’re a star?” Caspian said surprised although he probably shouldn’t be considering his boyfriend’s cousin was currently a dragon and the trees back in Narnia like to get up a move whenever they felt like it, something like this shouldn’t surprise him yet somehow it still did.

“What happened to them?” Lucy asked curiously.

“These poor men were half-mad by the time they reached our shores; they were threatening violence upon each other and violence is forbidden at the table of Aslan, so they were sent to sleep,” Liliandil explained, looking over at the men with a small yet sad smile on her face.

“Will they ever wake?” Lucy asked as she looked at the poor men, what had they gone through to reach the island for their minds to have descended into madness and wished harm against those who they traveled with to end the darkness they had vowed to stop.

“When all is put right,” Liliandil said before disappearing into the forest with Edmund, Caspian, and Lucy trailing after her “Come there is little time”.

She led them to a ledge in the forest which overlooked the Dark Island beside it; it was everything they had imagined and more. The semi-solid, fog-like darkness entwined with the green mist, Edmund didn’t wish to ever step foot inside such a place, and yet he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that to finish their mission and to defeat the mist once and for all they would have to visit that island.

“The magician, Coriakin, told you of Dark Island,” Liliandil asked, looking back at the three travelers, “Before long, the evil will be unstoppable,”.

“Coriakin said to break its spell, we lay the seven swords at Aslan’s table,” Caspian said, “But we only found six, do you know where the seventh is?”

“In there,” Liliandil said point at Dark Island and Edmund gulped, of course, it would be, things like this would never be easy for them, “You will need great courage, now waste no time”.

“Thank you” Lucy smiled at the star, trying to cover the fear she felt at the idea that they would have to go to Dark Island to retrieve the last sword.

“Goodbye,” Liliandil said stepping away from the others turning back into her star form, and shooting up into the sky.

“Lucy will you tell the crew to prepare for battle, it would seem we need to head to Dark Island,” Caspian said and Lucy nodded before darting back through the forest and to the table of Aslan, “Edmund I know that this might not be the right time but there is something I need to ask you,”.

“Caspian,” Edmund said putting a hand to his boyfriend’s face and stroked his cheek before moving his hand to cover Caspian’s mouth, “We don’t have the time for ideal chit chat, you heard Liliandil the evil behind Dark Island will be unstoppable we need to retrieve that last sword which means we have to leave now. Whatever it is, it will have to wait until after we defeat this mist,”.

Caspian sighed but nodded, instead he took Edmund’s hand in his and led him through the island and back to the Dawn Treader, their next stop the heart of Dark Island itself. 


	3. Edmund is Done With Everyone (+He's Still A Badass Whilst Pregnant)

Tense wasn’t the right word to describe the atmosphere on the Dawn Treader as they slowly sailed towards Dark Island. No one spoke. There was nothing to say, nothing to laugh about or tease the others. Dark Island was their last destination on this voyage, and everyone was fearing what they would experience and find in the heart of that evil place. Caspian and Edmund had returned to the stern cabin to prepare for the incoming fight that they knew they would need to face when they arrived at Dark Island. Caspian had already put his armour on whilst Edmund struggled to do the last bit on his armour. It didn’t really fit anymore with his bump, but like hell was he going to fight unprotected.

Honestly, Edmund wasn’t even sure what he was going. Should he really be fighting something whilst pregnant, only yesterday had he passed his five-month mark after being at sea for a month travelling from one island to the next, he was due to give birth in the next four months and the closer he got to his due date the more worried he was, what if the stress of this fight was too much for them and he went into labour, would his child survive if they came out months before they were meant to… should he even fight. No! He had to! Edmund was one of the most skilled fighters on this ship, and he couldn’t let Caspian or their people down by hindering them a skilled swordsman during the fight where they needed him the most.

“In case we don’t get through whatever this is… I want you to know that I love you more than anything Edmund Pevensie” Caspian said after helping secure the final buckle on Edmund’s armour, he wanted nothing more than to hide Edmund away from this upcoming battle but he knew he couldn’t, Edmund wouldn’t just sit still whilst himself, Lucy and Eustace fought whatever they would face. He didn’t even ask this time, he knew the answer just by watching Edmund struggle with his armour so instead of trying to focus on something that would be fruitless he wanted want Edmund to know that if something happened to him, then he will always love Edmund and their little treasure.

“I love you too, Caspian” Edmund replied, going onto his tiptoes and pressed their lips together. Neither wanted to break away, both wanted this kiss to last forever, but they knew it couldn’t, no matter how much they wanted to they couldn’t stay wrapped up in each other forever. They had a crew waiting outside for instructions, they had to reassure their people that what they are doing, the risk they were taking was worth it for the cause.

When they pulled away Caspian walked over to where his sword was lay on the desk before he realised that Edmund didn’t have one to fight with himself, he had left the sword Lord Bern had given them back at Aslan’s table, “You gave up your sword”.

“It wasn’t mine to keep” Edmund replied, it was true, that sword belonged to someone else and he no longer had the right to keep it. He might have once used one of those Narnian swords during his golden age but that was years ago and his sword had been passed down from one worthy user to the next, it no longer belonged to him as to how the crown didn’t belong to Lord Miraz.

“Use this” Caspian said, handing out Peter’s sword to Edmund.

“But it’s…” Edmund started. He couldn’t take his own brother’s sword, he couldn’t use it. Like the Narnian Sword, he didn’t have the right, he was the traitor, he hadn’t been entitled to a weapon from Father Christmas like his siblings had. Why should he have the right to use it now?

“Peter would want you to have it,” Caspian said, taking Edmund’s hand and wrapped his fingers around the sword’s sheath. 

“Edmund,” Caspian started, he couldn’t wait any longer he needed to know Edmund’s answer, he needed to know whether Edmund would say yes, he moved away from his boyfriend towards the desk draw and opened it before pulling out a small locked box where he kept it. Edmund gave him a confused look as he unlocked the box and wrapped his hand around the ring keeping it out of Edmund’s sight for now, “I know this is not the right time but considering we might not live to see tomorrow I have to know, I need to ask. Edmund Pevensie you mean the world to me when I lost you the first time I felt like my world was ending, we might have been together for one a brief time but to me, that didn’t matter, I knew that you were the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew from the moment I first saw you, you were it for me. When Aslan brought you back and gifted us with our precious child, I finally felt like my life was whole and complete for the first time since the death of my parents. You, Edmund, are my soulmate,”.

“So, Edmund Pevensie,” Caspian said getting down on one knee – it was an England proposal tradition something he learnt when Edmund would talk about his homeworld to Caspian and their growing child – and showed Edmund the ring, it was gold with a rare Narnian green emerald stone in the centre, “Will you marry me?”.

Edmund answered in three ways, dropping to his knees, nodding his head vigorously with tears streaming down his face. Then he placed a passionate kiss on Caspian’s lips before finally saying, “Yes, yes I will marry you Cas”.

Relief flooded Caspian’s body as he wrapped his arms around Edmund, pulling him as close as he could wearing amour before capturing their lips together once more.

* * *

Edmund was done with everyone, by the looks he got when Caspian and Edmund finally left the stern cabin wearing his armour and with a sword. He knew they wouldn’t want him fighting with them, but they didn’t have the choice; he decided that he was going to fight and they couldn’t stop him. Even if he stayed hidden away he was still at risk of being brought into the fight if the large parts of the ship got destroyed he might as well be prepared and ready to fight then left to defend himself from the mist with a candle stick. Caspian stood on the poop deck looking over the crew, Edmund planted himself at the back beside Lucy as much as he wanted to support his fiancé. He knew he couldn’t the crew needed to see their king and only their king making a speech.

“No matter what happens here… every soul who stands before me has earned their place… on the crew of the Dawn Treader. Together we have travelled far and together we have faced adversity. Together we can do it again so now is not the time to fall to fear’s temptations,” Caspian said his eyes never leaving Edmund, he hated standing up here without his fiancé by his side where Edmund belonged but he knew why he couldn’t be, so instead he searched for that support through their eye contact and the occasional nods Edmund sent in his direction, it was all he needed to continue, “Be strong. Never give in. Our world… our Narnian lives depend on it. Think of the lost souls we’re here to save, think of Aslan, think of Narnia,”.

The crew shouted shocking Caspian walked down the steps to re-join Edmund and Lucy, “For Narnia!”. 

* * *

Edmund kept his hand entangled with Caspian as the mist attempted to tempt them, Mr Rhince saw his wife, whilst Edmund saw the white witch, Caspian saw his father and they were barely over the boundary for the Dark Island, it scared Edmund slightly how powerful this green mist was, what they saw on their journey was only a fraction of what the mist was truly capable of but the strong reassurance of Caspian’s warm hand reminded Edmund of what was real and that this mist was just messing with him, but it wouldn’t work because he had everything he wanted right here, he had Caspian and their child; he had his family, and that included his annoying cousin. He didn’t need to be a king to be happy, and he definitely didn’t need the white witch. He was better than the 11-year-old boy who first found Narnia filled with insecurities.

Edmund snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a voice shouting from the distance, “Keep away!”.

Edmund and Caspian shared a confused look as they walked out to the side of the ship which was closest to the voice and peered into the darkness, but they couldn’t see anyone “Who’s there?”.

“We do not fear you,” Caspian said as Edmund darted back toward the Stern Cabin and grabbed his torch and ran back to his fiancé shining the light until it landed on an old man wearing ripped clothes and was barefooted standing on a large rock holding something in his hand.

“Nor I you” the old man shouted. Edmund could tell that this poor man had lost his mind during his time stranded in the dark island.

“We will not leave” Caspian shouted back. They couldn’t until they found the last sword and returned it to Ramandu’s island so they could break the spell and save the lost Narnian’s taken from the Lone Islands.

“You will not defeat me,” the man said, flailing his arms about.

Edmund’s eyes widened when his torch’s light caught sight of the object in the man’s hand, or rather the seventh and last Narnian sword they had been searching for, “Caspian, his sword”.

“Lord Rhoop!” Caspian cried; this was the last Lord they had been searching for. If they got his sword and turned their ship about, then they would need to fight anything in the mist and break its spell before returning for the Narnians they had come to rescue.

“You do not own me!” Lord Rhoop shouted, unaware of who came to rescue him. Edmund briefly wondered how long it had trapped Lord Rhoop on this island. He probably believed that the ship he saw was something the mist had conjured to fight him. The lines between a dream and reality had long since merged for the poor Lord.

“Let’s get him on board quickly,” Caspian said as the crew scurried around the ship to obey, grabbing the rope and throwing it over to the rock, a few men carefully climbed down and retrieved the lord who fought them all the way, for some unknown reason they hadn’t disarmed him of his sword which they should have done considering he was still flailing it around and nearly hit Travos multiple times as they struggled to get him back up to the ship.

“Be calm, my lord. We are not here to hurt you. I am your king Caspian” Caspian said, bending down in front of the lord whose eyes widened at the name. His eyes searched Caspian face looking for similarities between his king Caspian and the person before him. 

“My lord, you should not have come. There’s no way out of here. Quickly turning this ship about before it’s too late,” Lord Rhoop said, jumping to his feet.

“We have the sword. Let’s go!” Edmund said. They had completed their mission, all they needed to do now was get out of this island and break the spell. He also had a bad feeling something would happen if they travelled any further.

“Let’s turn her about, Dirinian” Caspian ordered, wrapping an arm around Edmund, his body relaxing. His fiancé would be safe once they were out of the island grasp. They didn’t need to fight, and Edmund didn’t need to risk their child.

“Aye-aye, your majesty” Dirinian said, walking over to the ship's wheel and started to turn the ship around.

“Do not think, do not let it know your fears… or it will become them,” Lord Rhoop said. Edmund groaned, well shit!

* * *

In all fairness it was a bad idea to tell someone not to think about their fears because then that was just an invitation for someone to think about them and that’s just what happened, they watched as a sea serpent arise from the water and looked down at the ship. Edmund reached over and grabbed Caspian’s hand, entangling their fingers together. This was it. They weren’t prepared to fight a sea serpent created by the mist. It opened its mouth, letting out a god-awful screech, and lunged for the ship when its face was engulfed with fire. Eustace flew towards the serpent at full speed with Reepicheep barely holding onto the small horn on top of Eustace’s dragon head, Eustace opened his mouth spewing fire at the creature once more whilst Reepicheep darted down Eustace’s nose and jumped off the dragon hold his rapier and plunging it into the mouth of the serpent whilst Eustace clung onto it face trying to do more damage with his claws. The serpent screamed as it threw its head around, Reepicheep lost his grip on the creature and fell towards the ship hitting the deck whilst it threw Eustace against a nearby rock.

“Begone foul beast” Lord Rhoop shouting pushing Caspian out the way and threw his sword at Eustace embedding it in his shoulder. Eustace let out a pained cry.

“No! The sword” Edmund shouted as he watched his cousin open his wings and took off, he felt his heart drop into his stomach, they had failed. The green mist would consume the entire world because they didn’t turn around in time and get out when they had the chance.

“Eustace” Lucy screamed as she watched her cousin fly away injured, “No! Come back!”.

“We’re all doomed! Turn this ship about!” Lord Rhoop shouted, pushing more crew members out of his way as he marched over to the ship’s wheel.

“Someone stop him!” Caspian shouted seconds after Lord Dirinian hit Lord Rhoop over the head with a broken-off piece of wood, knocking him out instantly, and took control of his ship once more. Now all they had left to deal with was the serpent, they couldn’t flee. By the time they turned the ship around, then the serpent would have attacked. They had to defeat it if they wanted to escape the island.

Caspian darted up to the poop deck grabbing the wheel from Lord Dirinian as the serpent slammed itself against the ship send people flying except Edmund who seemed to have a golden hue surrounding him, protecting him. Aslan, it had to be Aslan. Aslan was protecting his fiancé and, more importantly, their child.

“Ed! We’ll ram the serpent. Smash him on the rocks” Caspian shouted, it was risky using Edmund as bait but he believed in Aslan, he believed the lion would protect his fiancé and their baby whilst they fought to defeat the sea serpent.

“Steer her to port, I’ll keep it on the prow” Edmund shouted, running towards the head of the ship where the dragon’s head was. He was going to regret doing this, but what other choice did he have unless someone distracted the serpent, they could never smash it against the rocks with it kept circling the ship. He climbed over the head and slid into its mouth, “Come on, I’m here try to kill me”.

Edmund kept shouting and taunting the monster, flashing his torchlight at the serpent’s face, drawing its attention from the crew on the deck to him. His mind was racing with everything which could happen in the next few minutes, he could die, he closed his eyes and shuffled as far back as he could in the dragon's mouth as the serpent dived for him its mouth biting into the wood and ripped it from the ship as its body collided with the jagged rock behind him but it has barely missed Edmund, his body once more surrounded by that protective golden glow.

“Edmund” he heard Caspian shout, but Edmund didn’t focus on that instead he looked down at his arm glowing a golden colour noticing it for the first time, the serpent shrieked diving for Edmund once more but instead of grabbing him, the serpent shrieked in pain as the golden glow touched its skin. Edmund slowly stood up in the destroyed dragon’s mouth, the golden glow brightening with every second. Whatever was protecting him, whatever was injuring the serpent, whatever it was he could use it. He pulled Peter’s sword out of its sheath and held it up in front of it. The golden glow encompassed the sword too, and the blade glowed blue. Edmund didn’t have time to question it as the sea serpent, now more furious than even lunged at Edmund, mouth open, ready to eat him whole. He didn’t wait for a second longer, thrusting the blade into the serpent’s mouth.

It screamed and screamed sliding against the rock into the water below its body lighting up with yellow lightning coming from where Peter’s sword met the serpent’s mouth. Edmund watched from the wreck of the once dragon’s head as the sea serpent died. His hand subconsciously resting on the part of his armour where his stomach was protected, that’s when he felt it, the fluttering movement inside his belly. His baby was moving, his baby was fine. He had survived a fight with a sea serpent and so had his child.

* * *

“The spell… it’s lifting” was the first thing Lucy said as she watched the fog-like darkness slowly disappear, leaving nothing behind. The rock which they discovered Lord Rhoop on, or the remains of the sea serpent, had all vanished as if they had never been there. All which was left was clear blue skies and seas.

“Edmund” Caspian shouted, running over to his fiancé as he climbed down to the destroyed head of the ship and fell straight into Caspian’s arms.

“Caspian,” Edmund said, burying his head in Caspian’s neck. The adrenaline of today was slowly fading from his body and was now replaced by pure exhaustion. He was tired and all he wanted to do was curl up in Caspian’s arms and sleep for the rest of the week.

“Look Narnians” a crew member shouted as Mr Rhince and Gael jumped from the side of the ship and into the water below and swam over to the dozens of boats sailing towards them. Edmund could only guess that they were filled with the people taken from the Lone Islands, including Mr Rhince’s wife.

“Let’s have them on board! Clear the decks” Caspian ordered reluctantly pulling away from his fiancé and leaving his side whilst he helped make space to bring the Narnians they set out to save onto the ship.

“We did it” Lucy smiled hugging her brother, “I knew we would”.

“It wasn’t just us, though,” Edmund said, when he killed the sea serpent he had a vision of a human Eustace putting the last sword on the Aslan’s Table, it was that blue light mixed with his own golden glow that killed the sea serpent but it wouldn’t tell Lucy that just yet. 

“You mean…” Lucy started.

“Hey! Hey, I’m down here, Lucy! Edmund!” they heard Eustace shouting from the side of the boat, “Over here! I’m in the water,”.

“Eustace” Lucy said grinning as she looked down to see her once dragon cousin turned back into a boy again.

“I’m a boy again. I’m a boy” Eustace said smiling as he trod the water looking up at his family.

“Eustace! I see your wings have been clipped. Haha,” Reepicheep cheered, jumping down into the water beside Eustace and started singing. Edmund stared at his cousin, smiling. He knew that only person or creature which could turn Eustace back was Aslan himself, and from the look on Caspian’s face he had realised that too.

“Aslan’s country, we must be close,” Caspian said, wrapping his arm around Edmund once more and pulled him against his chest as they both watched as Eustace and Reepicheep played in the water.

“Well, we’ve come this far,” Edmund said, looking at his fiancé. He could only hope that Aslan could provide the answers Caspian so desperately sort for.

* * *

Only Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace and Reepicheep climbed into a boat to sail to what they could only guess was Aslan’s country. Reepicheep teamed with excitement however, Lucy was nervous, she knew that at the end of this journey she would come face to face with Aslan and what scared her the most was the chance she might be ripped away from her brother and unborn niece or nephew after only recently being reunited with him. She wanted to stay in Narnia; she wanted to be a part of her brother’s life, and it frightened her that Aslan wouldn’t grant her wish.

“So, what was it like when Aslan changed you back?” Lucy asked her cousin; she still couldn’t believe that he wasn’t a dragon anymore. She didn’t want to seem rude, but being a dragon seemed to suit Eustace more than being a boy.

“No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t do it myself then he came towards me. It hurt, but it was a good pain. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot. Being a dragon wasn’t all bad, I mean I think I was a better dragon that I was a boy, really,” Eustace explained, he might have hated it at first but he had grown to love his life as a dragon, it gave him purpose and now he looked back on his time in Narnia being a dragon had made him useful whilst being a boy just made him a liability, “I’m so sorry for being a sod,”.

“It’s okay, Eustace. You were a pretty magnificent dragon,” Edmund smiled. He couldn’t believe that this was the same cousin he had met not even a month ago, someone who was arrogant, who had now changed into a better person. Edmund and Caspian shared a look, Edmund’s words from the Lone Islands played on Caspian’s mind. Edmund was right a shocking turn of events would change Eustace into becoming a better person and being a dragon even if it were for a couple of weeks had done that.

“My friends, we have arrived,” Reepicheep said, looking over at the faraway beach with what looked like a monster wave rising from the ground. That magic could only tell them that this was indeed Aslan’s country. Edmund and Caspian paddled the boat close enough to the sand before they jumped out and walked ashore. The beach was deserted but Edmund could tell, with a feeling in his stomach that Aslan was here, they just needed to find him.

Eustace saw Aslan first walking up from behind them, the same lion who had freed him from his dragon form, “Aslan”.

“Welcome children, you have done well. Very well indeed, you have come far and now your journey is at its end” Aslan said as the group turned around to face him. Lucy grinned whilst Edmund and Caspian nodded their ends out of respect and Reepicheep bowed.

“Is this your country?” Lucy asked, looking back at the waves, barely seeing the tops of mountains peeking out from behind.

“No, my country lies beyond,” Aslan replied.

“Is my father in your country?” Caspian asked as he stared at the water, trying to see what was behind it.

“You can only find that out for yourself, my son, but know that if you continue… there is no return” Aslan replied. Caspian looked at the land lying beyond the water, but he didn’t move, instead, he reaches out and took Edmund’s hand in his own, entangling their fingers together.

“You’re not going?” Edmund asked, a little relieved.

“I can’t imagine my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for. I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a kingdom, a people, my lover and a child. I promise to be a better king,” Caspian vowed.

“You already are” Aslan smiled then he looked at Edmund, Eustace and Lucy, “Children”.

“You already know my answer Aslan, Narnia is my home now and my place is beside Caspian,” Edmund said, he suspected that Aslan would give him the opportunity to return home but he knew he couldn’t, he would miss his family in the other world but he couldn’t lose the one he had now, he had Caspian and their unborn baby, he couldn’t give up on them. Aslan nodded before turning to look at Eustace and Lucy.

“I wish to stay Aslan. I love Peter, Susan and my parents but I know in my heart that I belong in Narnia, not England, Peter and Susan have accepted their lives in England as I would like to accept mine in Narnia. This is my home, it where Edmund and Caspian are and it where my niece or nephew will be. So, it is where I wish to be,” Lucy said crossing her two fingers and started silently praying that Aslan would let her stay in Narnia, but Aslan said nothing instead he looked at Eustace and motioned for him to speak.

“So, do I,” Eustace said. Edmund, Lucy and Caspian looked over at the other boy in surprise, Eustace had been so adamant to return home that they had expected that even if Lucy and Edmund stay, Eustace would leave Narnia, they’d never even considered the possibility that Eustace would want to stay, after all, Eustace didn’t have the connection to Narnia that Edmund and Lucy had but then again maybe he did, “Narnia has changed me in under a month something that England has never done in the years I’ve lived there and I fear that if I return to England, I will become the arrogant child I once was again. I want to be of use, and I believe that I can only achieve this if I live in and serve Narnia”.

“If that is what you want then I can grant it to you, Narnia will always need High Queen Lucy the Valiant and Prince Eustace the Noble,” Aslan said. Lucy grinned throwing herself at Aslan saying thank you multiple times into his mane whilst Eustace stood there shocked at the new title. He was a prince, Aslan wanted him to be a prince. An actual prince, yes, his cousins might be kings and queens of this land but him, Eustace Scrubb, a prince. It was unbelievable.

“I’m sure we can find something for a Prince of your standards to do” Caspian laughed, messing with Eustace’s hair, which seemed to snap him out of his daze. Eustace smiled sheepishly at Caspian and Edmund, he had been a little worried that they wouldn’t accept that he wanted to stay after every horrible thing he had done to them both in England and in Narnia, but he couldn’t help feeling relieved that he was still welcomed no matter what he had done.

“Your Eminence… ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your country. I’ve had many great adventures in this world but nothing has dampened that yearning,” Reepicheep said scurrying out from behind Eustace and stopped in front of Aslan, “I know I am hardly worthy but with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes,”.

“My country was made for novel hearts such as yours, no matter how small their bearers be,” Aslan said, smiling down at the mouse.

“Your Majesty,” Reepicheep said, bowing to Aslan before turning back to the others to say his own goodbyes.

“No one could be more deserving,” Lucy said smiling down at Reepicheep trying to hold back the tears of losing her friend, but she refused to deny him the right to see Aslan’s country. She would miss him though.

“It’s true,” Edmund said, if anyone was deserving to see Aslan’s country then it was Reepicheep.

“May I?” Lucy asked, kneeling in front of Reepicheep.

“Well, I suppose. Just this-” he didn’t have time to finish his sentence before Lucy had picked him up and pulled him into a hug, “Goodbye Lucy”.

Reepicheep pulled away from Lucy and moved over to Eustace, who had tears running down his cheeks. Through this last month, Reep had become quite close with the boy and he would definitely miss him the most, along with his fellow talking mice of Narnia.

“I don’t understand. Will I not see you again?” Eustace couldn’t believe it, one of the primary reasons he had stayed in Narnia was because Reepicheep would be here helping him whenever he needed it but that wouldn’t use happen now, Reepicheep was leaving him.

“What a magnificent puzzle you are, and a true hero. It has been my honour to fight beside such a brave warrior and a great friend. We will be reunited in Aslan’s country and I will always watch over you. Eustace, I have something to ask you?” Reepicheep said smiling at the young boy before taking off his rapier and placed it in Eustace’s hand, “I want you to become the second in command to the talking mice of Narnia, I believe that you have the potential to work with my mice with me gone, Your Majesty,”.

“I will make you proud,” Eustace said and Reepicheep put a paw on his hand.

“You already have,” He said darting away. Eustace stood to his feet, clutching the rapier to his chest as he watched Reepicheep sail away from Narnia and into Aslan’s country. He didn’t take his eyes off the mouse until he disappeared completely from view.

“It’s time we returned to the Dawn Treader goodbye Aslan,” Caspian said, they still needed to return to Narnia after being away for so long, they had people to return to their homes in the Lone Islands and they needed to collect the three lords on Ramandu’s island and reunite them with their old friends once more.

“Goodbye, for now, children until we meet again. King Caspian X, High King Edmund the Just, High Queen Lucy the Valiant and Prince Eustace the Noble and Dragon shifter” Aslan said bowing his head out of respect for the royalty of Narnia, Eustace, Edmund and Caspian bowed whilst Lucy curtsied when they rose their heads Aslan was long gone.

“What did Aslan mean dragon shifter?” Lucy asked, looking over at Eustace with a confused look on her face. Eustace shot his family a grin as he ran off taking a deep breath and jumped into the air. He felt his bones shifted as his entire body changed itself until he was flying amongst the sky in his dragon form once more.

“You’re still a dragon” Lucy shouted as Eustace return to them in his human form. The shifting process was still a little painful, but each time it was feeling a little more natural to him.

“Aslan gave me the choice after I returned to my human form whether I wanted to remain being a part dragon or become fully human again. Well, like I said I felt more like myself as a dragon so I decided that I would keep the ability, I was going to tell you when I returned to the ship but we got sidetracked and who doesn’t want to ability to change into a dragon, I would have been mad if I had refused such an offer,” Eustace explained.

“I can’t believe it, is anyone else hiding some sudden change about themselves that I ought to know about?” Lucy said, throwing her hands up into the air. Edmund and Caspian shared a look. They hadn’t exactly announced their engagement yet.

“Caspian and I are getting married,” Edmund said, grinning as he lifted his left hand to show off his engagement ring to Eustace and Lucy.

“WHAT!”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the end of The Journey to Dark Island, I hope you've enjoyed it and are just as excited for the next part as I am! The good news is that the next part - The King's Child, has already been written whoop which means I'm planning to upload it a week's time, so look forward to that! Thanks again to everyone who has read and supported this series through these last couple of years whether you are a first time reader or an older one, I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read my series and if all goes as well I'm planning on finishing this series this year and then hopefully I'll be able to start another Casmund story (I have like three planned out). 
> 
> That's all from me so I'll see you in The King's Child!


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